Combination dust cloth and dust mop

ABSTRACT

A dust cloth and mop head and the combination thereof to provide a dust mop, wherein the mop head includes a substantially flat platform having spaced-apart recesses therein, a soft pliable cloth covering the platform and extending therebeyond around the periphery thereof to provide a marginal portion around the platform, separable fastening devices for mounting the cloth to the platform, and a mop handle connected to the platform, whereby the cloth before attachment to the mop head may be first used as a dust cloth and thereafter the cloth may be mounted on said mop head by placing the cloth on a support surface with the back surface disposed upwardly and pressing the fastening member on the platform against the fastening member on the cloth to provide a dust mop and thereafter the cloth may be removed from the mop head by fixedly holding the marginal portion and pulling the mop head therefrom.

United States Patent i1 1 Saltzstein [451 June12, 1973 [75] Inventor: Julian I. Saltzstein, Cleveland, Tenn.

[73] Assignee: American Uniform Company,

Cleveland, Tenn.

22 Filed: June 24, 1971 211 App1.No.: 156,201

[52] U.S. Cl. ..15/231,15/147 A, 15/210 R [51] Int. Cl A471 13/46 [58] Field of Search 15/231, 187, 230.17,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,358,313 12/1967 Grimes, Sr. 15/231 3,346,904 10/1967 Armstrong ..'15/230.l2 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 6,708,504 12/1968 Netherlands 15/210 R Primary Examiner-Leon G. Machlin Attorney-Curtis F. Pringley, Mark H. Clayton and David A. Vogel et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A dust cloth and mop head and the combination thereof to provide a dust mop, wherein the mop head includes a substantially flat platform having spacedapart recesses therein, a soft pliable cloth covering the platform and extending therebeyond around the periphery thereof to provide a marginal portion around the platform, separable fastening devices for mounting the cloth to the platform, and a mop handle connected to the platform, whereby the cloth before attachment to the mop head may be first used as a dust cloth and thereafter the cloth may be mounted on said mop head by placing the cloth on a support surface with the back surface disposed upwardly and pressing the fastening member on the platform against the fastening member on the cloth to provide a dust mop and thereafter the cloth may be removed from the mop head by fixedly holding the marginal portion and pulling the mop head therefrom.

18 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures (IQMBHNATION DUST CLQTH AND DUST M This invention is directed to a dust cloth and a mop head and the combination thereof to provide a dust mop, and particularly to a dust cloth which may be used separately or in combination with the mop head and a mop handle to provide a dust mop.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide a combination dust cloth and dust mop comprising a mop head including a substantially flat platform having a mop handle mounted on one side thereof, a soft pliable cloth having a dusting surface and a back surface, a separable fastening device including a first fastening member provided with a large number of closely spaced interengageable first hooking elements and a second fastening member provided with a large number of closely spaced interengageable second hooking elements for detachably securing the first and the second fastening members together, one of the fastening members being mounted on the other side of the platform and the other of the fastening members being mounted on the back surface of the cloth for detachably mounting the cloth on the platform, the cloth covering the platform and extending a short distance therebeyond around the periphery of the platform to provide a marginal portion around the platform, whereby the cloth before attachment to the mop head-may be first used as a dust cloth and thereafter the cloth may be mounted on the mop head by placing the cloth on a support surface with the back surface disposed upwardly and pressing the fastening member on the platform against the fastening member on the cloth to provide a dust mop and thereafter the cloth may be removed from the mop head by fixedly holding the marginal portion and pulling the mop head therefrom.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a combination as set forth in which the mop head includes two spaced apart recesses on one side thereof each of which receives the first fastening member of first and second separable fastening devices, the thickness of each secured fastening device being substantially equal to the depth of each of the recesses.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cloth having a nappy dusting surface and two spaced apart elongated fastening members mounted on a smooth back surface, the cloth to be used alone or in combination with a mop head to provide a dust mop. A further object ofthe present invention is to provide a mop head which may be used in combination with a cloth as previously set forth to provide a dust mop.

The invention both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will be understood by reference to the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FEG. l is a perspective view of the combination dust cloth and dust mop of the present invention;

HO. 2 is a top plan view of the dust cloth of the present invention showing the outline of the mop head in phantom;

W6. 3 is a bottom plan view of the mop head of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the rnop head and dust cloth illustrated in MG. it taken along line 4-4 thereof.

The mop construction 56 of the present invention includes a mop head 60 having a swivel socket 76 on one side thereof and a handle 75 connected thereto, a cloth 90 and a fastening device including fastening members 85 and fastening members 95 for mounting the cloth 90 to the mop head 60.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is disclosed the mop head including a generally rectangular platform 61 having a top surface 62 and a bottom surface 63. As shown in FEGS. 1 and 4, the bottom surface 63 of the platform 61 has two spaced apart recessed areas 65 therein. The recessed areas 65 are at the opposite ends of the platform 60, each of the recessed areas 65 extending transversely of the mop head 60 from one side edge to the other side edge and having the longer dimensions thereof symmetrically disposed. Further, each of the recessed areas 65 is formed to provide an abutment surface 66 disposed parallel to the top surface 62 of the mop head 60 and an abutment surface 67 disposed normal to the top surface 62 of the mop head.

Positioned approximately in the center of the rectangular mop head 66, which may be made of a hard, tough synthetic organic resin, is the swivel socket 70, the swivel socket 70 being fixedly adhered to the mop head 60 by means of a rivet 73 (see FIG. 3), The swivel socket 70 receives therein the mop handle 75, which includes a grasping portion 76 and a reduced portion 77 leading to a ball 78 housed within the swivel socket '76, thereby to provide the mop head 60 with a mop handle swivelly connected thereto and movable in a 360 are relative thereto.

As seen particularly in FIGS. 3 and 4, the mop head 60 has disposed in each of the recesses 65 a fastening member 85 of a fastening device such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,009,235, issued to G. deMestral, November 21, 31961 (the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference), and sold under the trademark VELCRO. Each of the fastening members 85 is fixedly secured to the respective abutment surfaces 66 and 67 as by adhesive material 80 or an equivalent thereof. Each of the fastening members is positioned against both the abutment surfaces 66 and 67 and extends substantially entirely across the mop head 60 to fill substantially the entire recessed area 65.

The cloth is generally oval in shape and of greater dimensions than the mop head 60 to provide a marginal portion extending beyond the periphery of the platform 60. The cloth 96 has a substantially smooth and flat top or back surface 911 and a bottom or dusting surface 92, I

the bottom surface 92 having a shag or nap 93 depending therefrom. Disposed on the back surface 91 of the cloth 90 are two spaced apart fastening members 95 of the fastening device as described above. Each of the fastening members 95 is in the form of a strip and mounted and held on the cloth 9% by means of stitching 96 extending substantially around the periphery of each of the fastening members 95. The distance between the fastening members 95 is sufficient so that each of the fastening members 95 will mate with a corresponding one of the fastening members 85 fixedly adhered to the mop head 60. When a fastening device of the VELCRO type is used, the fastening member 85 may consist of a large number of closely spaced interengageable hooking elements in the form of hooks and the fastening member 95 may consist of a large number of closely spaced interengageable hooking elements in the form of loops. As is known, the VELCRO fastening device is such that when the hooking elements are pressed together, they become firmly secured one to the other and require substantial pressure to pull them apart. However, the VELCRO material is easily disengaged if one member is peeled from the other.

The fastening members 95 fixedly adhered to the cloth 90 are of substantially the same longitudinal dimension as the fastening members 85 fixedly adhered to the mop head 60 and are positioned with their longitudinal dimensions parallel, as are the members 85. Preferably, the fastening members 85 fixedly secured to the mop head 60 are wider than the corresponding fastening members 95 on the cloth 90, for a purpose hereinafter explained. The longitudinal and transverse extents of the fastening members 85 and 95 illustrated herein are the preferred embodiments; however, other sizes and shapes of fastening devices are well within the intended scope of the present invention.

In operation, the cloth 90 may be used alone as a dust cloth or in combination with the mop head 60 to pro-. vide a dust mop construction 50. When the cloth 90 is detached it may be used to dust furniture and the like as any other dust cloth, the shag or nap 93 providing a very good dusting surface. When it is desired to convert the cloth 90 into a dust mop 50, the cloth 90 is positioned on a surface such as the floor with the shag or nap 93 positioned downwardly and the fastening members 95 facing upwardlyl The mop head 60 is positioned over the cloth 90 so that the fastening members 85 in the recesses 65 are aligned with the fastening members 95 on the top or back surface 91 of the cloth 90. The mop head 60 is. then firmly pressed onto the cloth 90 thereby firmly to mount the cloth 90 to the mop head 60 with the engaged fastening members 85 and 95 providing two spaced apart fastening devices. Theeombination of the cloth 90,'the mop head 60 and the mop handle 75 providing the dust mop construction 50. Y

I The dust mop construction 50 may be used as any other dust mop to clean the floors, the spaced-apart recesses 65 in the mop head 60 providing for even pressure distributed across the cloth 90 to provide an even mopping actionof the dust mop 50. Further, by adjusting the thickness of the secured fastening members 85 and 95 to be equal to the depth of the recessed areas 65, as measured by the abutment surface 67, all areas of the cloth 90 under the mop head 60 evenly will contact the floor surface to be dusted to provide a large area over which cleaning pressure may evenly be distr'ibuted. Although the cloth 90 extends beyond the mop head 60, it is the area under the mop head which providesthe cleaning action as it is the comparitively large mop head 60 which transmits the force applied through the mop handle 75 to the cloth 90. The advantage of having the fastening members 85 wider than the fastening members 95 is that there is less difficulty in aligning the mop head 60 with the cloth 90 when the cloth is positioned on the floor or other support surface prior to being mounted on the mop head 60.

Removal of the cloth 90 is easily performed by holding the'cloth 90 against the floor such as by standing on the marginal portion of the cloth extending beyond the periphery of the mop head 60 and peeling or pulling the mop head 60 away from the dust cloth 90 in an upward motion. When a fastening device such as VELCRO is used, the above described peeling actionwill easily disengage the cloth 90 from the mop head 60, whereas applying a force to the mop head 60 away from the cloth 90 and normal thereto will make separation of the cloth 90 from the mop head 60 more difficult. Once the mop which must be sanitary and thereafter dropped onto the floor without the user touching the dusting surface and made into the dust mop construction hereinbefore described. After use as a dust mop 50, the cloth 90 may be removed from the mop head without the user touching the dusting surface in the manner hereinbefore set out and thereafter placed into a container for cleaning purposes. The above-described construction has particular applicability for hospital use but is clearly applicable for home or industrial uses as well.

From the foregoing, it is seen that there has been described a dust cloth and mop head which may be com-' bined to provide a dust mop construction. Spaced apart first and second fastening devices each including first and second fastening members have been provided for detachably mounting the cloth to the mop head to insure more even dusting with the dust mop construction.

While there has been described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that various modifications may be made therein and it is intended to cover in the apencled claims all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A combination dust cloth and dust mop comprising a mop head including a substantially flat platform having a mop handle mounted on one side thereof, a soft pliable cloth having a dusting surface and a back surface, a separable fastening device including a first fastening member provided with a large number of closely spaced interengageable first hooking elements and a second fastening member provided with a large number of closely spaced interengageable second hooking elements for detachably securing said first and said second fastening members together, one of said fastening members being mounted on the other side of said platform and the other of said fastening members being mounted on the back surface of said cloth for detachably mounting said cloth on said platform, said cloth covering said platform and extending a short distance therebeyond around the periphery of said platform to provide a marginal portion around said platform, whereby said cloth before attachment to said mop head may be first used as a dust cloth and thereafter said cloth may be mounted on said mop head by placing said cloth on a support surface with said back surface disposed upwardly and pressing said fastening member on said platform against said fastening member on said cloth to provide a dust mop and thereafter said cloth may be removed from said mop head by fixedly holding said marginal portion and pulling said mop head therefrom.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said platform is rectangular in shape.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said platform is made from asynthetic organic resin.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said cloth is generally oval in shape and has a nap on the dusting surface thereof.

5. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein the fastening member on said platform has a greater surface extent than said fastening member on said cloth.

6. A combination dust cloth and dust mop comprising a mop head including-a substantially flat platform having two spaced apart recesses in one side thereof and a mop handle mounted on the other side thereof, a soft pliable cloth having a dusting surface and a back surface, a first separable fastening device including a first fastening member provided with a large number of closely spaced interengageable first hooking elements and a second fastening member provided with a large number of closely spaced interengageable second hooking elements for detachably securing said first and said second fastening members together, a second separable fastening device including a first fastening member provided with a large number of closely spaced interengageable first hooking elements and a second fastening member provided with a large number of closely spaced interengageable second hooking elements for detachably securing said first and said second fastening members together, said first fastening member of said first separable fastening device being disposed in one of said recesses in said mop head and said first fastening member of said second fastening device being disposed in the other of said recesses, said second fastening member of said first fastening device and said second fastening member of said second fastening device being mounted in spaced apart relation on said back surface of said cloth for detachably mounting said cloth on said platform, said cloth covering said platform and extending a short distance therebeyond around the periphery of said platform to provide a marginal portion around said platform, the thickness of said secured fastening members of each of said fastening devices being substantially equal to the depth of said recesses in said mop head to provide a substantially flat dusting surface after attachment of said cloth to said mop head, whereby said cloth before attachment to said mop head may be first used as a dust cloth and thereafter said cloth may be mounted'on said mop head by placing said cloth on a support surface with said back surface disposed upwardly and pressing said fasteningv members on said platform against said fastening members on said cloth to provide a dust mop and thereafter said cloth may be removed from said mop head by fixedly holding said marginal portion and pulling said mop head therefrom.

7. The combination set forth in claim 6, wherein said fastening members on said platform are oriented with the major dimensions thereof parallel.

8. The combination set forth in claim 6, wherein each of said recesses'is rectangular in shape and of substantially the same dimensions as the other of said recesses.

9. The combination set forth in claim 6, wherein said fastening members disposed in said recesses cover substantially the entire area of said recesses.

10. The combination set forth in claim 6, wherein each of said fastening members on the back surface of said cloth has a smaller surface area than each of said fastening members in said recesses to facilitate engagement of the fastening members on said platform with the fastening members on said cloth.

1]. The combination set forth in claim 6, wherein said platform is rectangular in shape and said recesses extend transversely thereof at each end thereof.

12. A cloth for use as a dust cloth and in a dust mop having a mop head including a substantially flat platform having a mop handle mounted on one side thereof and a first fastening member of two spaced apart elongated strips each provided with a large number of closely spaced interengageable first hooking elements mounted on the other side thereof, said cloth comprising a soft pliable body having a nappy dusting surface and a smooth flat back surface, a second fastening member of two spaced apart elongated strips each provided with a large number of closely spaced interengageable second hooking elements mounted on said back surface of said cloth and detachably engageable with the first fastening member on the mop head for de tachably mounting said cloth on the associated platform, said cloth covering the platform and extending a short distance therebeyond around the periphery of the platform to provide a marginal portion around the platform, whereby said cloth before attachment to the mop head may be first used as a dust cloth and thereafter said cloth may be mounted on the mop head by placing said cloth on a support surface with said back surface disposed upwardly and pressing the first fastening member on the platform against said second fastening member on said cloth to provide a dust mop and thereafter said cloth may be removed from the mop head by fixedly holding said marginal portion and pulling the mop head therefrom.

13. The cloth set forth in claim 12, wherein said fastening members on said back side of said cloth are oriented with the major dimensions thereof parallel.

14. A mop head for use with an associated dust cloth as a dust mop, wherein the dust cloth is soft and pliable and has a dusting surface and a back surface with spaced apart fastening members thereon each provided with a large number of closely spaced interengageable first hooking elements, said mop head comprising a substantially flat platform having spaced apart recesses in one side thereof and a mop handle mounted on the other side thereof, fastening members each provided with a large number of closely spaced interengageable second hooking elements disposed in said recesses of said platform and detachably engageable with the fastening members on the dust cloth for detachably mounting the 'dust cloth on said platform, the thickness of each of the engaged fastening members being substantially equal to the depth of said recesses in said mop head to provide a substantially flat dusting surface after attachment of the cloth to said mop head, the dust cloth covering said platform and extending a short distance therebeyond around the periphery of said platform to provide a marginal portion. around said platform, whereby the dust cloth may be mounted on said mop head by placing the dust cloth on a support surface with the back surface disposed upwardly and pressing said fastening members on said platform against the fastening members on the dust cloth to provide a dust mop and thereafter the dust cloth may be removed from said mop head by fixedly holding the marginal portion and pulling said mop head therefrom.

15. The mop head as set forth in claim 14, wherein said platform is rectangular in shape and has two recesses therein extending transversely thereof at each end thereof.

16. The mop head as set forth in claim 14, wherein each of said recesses is rectangular in shape and of substantially the same dimensions as the other of said recesses.

17. The mop head as set forth in claim 14, wherein said fastening members disposed in said recesses cover substantially the entire area of said recesses.

18. The mop head as set forth in claim 14, wherein said fastening members on said platform are oriented with the major dimensions thereof parallel. 

1. A combination dust cloth and dust mop comprising a mop head including a substantially flat platform having a mop handle mounted on one side thereof, a soft pliable cloth having a dusting surface and a back surface, a separable fastening device including a first fastening member provided with a large number of closely spaced interengageable first hooking elements and a second fastening member provided with a large number of closely spaced interengageable second hooking elements for detachably securing said first and said second fastening members together, one of said fastening members being mounted on the other side of said platform and the other of said fastening members being mounted on the back surface of said cloth for detachably mounting said cloth on said platform, said cloth covering said platform and extending a short distance therebeyond around the periphery of said platform to provide a marginal portion around said platform, whereby said cloth before attachment to said mop head may be first used as a dust cloth and thereafter said cloth may be mounted on said mop head by placing said cloth on a support surface with said back surface disposed upwardly and pressing said fastening member on said platform against said fastening member on said cloth to provide a dust mop and thereafter said cloth may be removed from said mop head by fixedly holding said marginal portion and pulling said mop head therefrom.
 2. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said platform is rectangular in shape.
 3. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said platform is made from a synthetic organic resin.
 4. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein said cloth is generally oval in shape and has a nap on the dusting surface thereof.
 5. The combination set forth in claim 1, wherein the fastening member on said platform has a greater surface extent than said fastening member on said cloth.
 6. A combination dust cloth and dust mop comprising a mop head including a substantially flat platform having two spaced apart recesses in one side thereof and a mop handle mounted on the other side thereof, a soft pliable cloth having a dusting surface and a back surface, a first separable fastening device including a first fastening member provided with a large number of closely spaced interengageable first hooking elements and a second fastening member provided with a large number of closely spaced interengageable second hooking elements for detachably securing said first and said second fastening members together, a second separable fastening device including a first fastening memBer provided with a large number of closely spaced interengageable first hooking elements and a second fastening member provided with a large number of closely spaced interengageable second hooking elements for detachably securing said first and said second fastening members together, said first fastening member of said first separable fastening device being disposed in one of said recesses in said mop head and said first fastening member of said second fastening device being disposed in the other of said recesses, said second fastening member of said first fastening device and said second fastening member of said second fastening device being mounted in spaced apart relation on said back surface of said cloth for detachably mounting said cloth on said platform, said cloth covering said platform and extending a short distance therebeyond around the periphery of said platform to provide a marginal portion around said platform, the thickness of said secured fastening members of each of said fastening devices being substantially equal to the depth of said recesses in said mop head to provide a substantially flat dusting surface after attachment of said cloth to said mop head, whereby said cloth before attachment to said mop head may be first used as a dust cloth and thereafter said cloth may be mounted on said mop head by placing said cloth on a support surface with said back surface disposed upwardly and pressing said fastening members on said platform against said fastening members on said cloth to provide a dust mop and thereafter said cloth may be removed from said mop head by fixedly holding said marginal portion and pulling said mop head therefrom.
 7. The combination set forth in claim 6, wherein said fastening members on said platform are oriented with the major dimensions thereof parallel.
 8. The combination set forth in claim 6, wherein each of said recesses is rectangular in shape and of substantially the same dimensions as the other of said recesses.
 9. The combination set forth in claim 6, wherein said fastening members disposed in said recesses cover substantially the entire area of said recesses.
 10. The combination set forth in claim 6, wherein each of said fastening members on the back surface of said cloth has a smaller surface area than each of said fastening members in said recesses to facilitate engagement of the fastening members on said platform with the fastening members on said cloth.
 11. The combination set forth in claim 6, wherein said platform is rectangular in shape and said recesses extend transversely thereof at each end thereof.
 12. A cloth for use as a dust cloth and in a dust mop having a mop head including a substantially flat platform having a mop handle mounted on one side thereof and a first fastening member of two spaced apart elongated strips each provided with a large number of closely spaced interengageable first hooking elements mounted on the other side thereof, said cloth comprising a soft pliable body having a nappy dusting surface and a smooth flat back surface, a second fastening member of two spaced apart elongated strips each provided with a large number of closely spaced interengageable second hooking elements mounted on said back surface of said cloth and detachably engageable with the first fastening member on the mop head for detachably mounting said cloth on the associated platform, said cloth covering the platform and extending a short distance therebeyond around the periphery of the platform to provide a marginal portion around the platform, whereby said cloth before attachment to the mop head may be first used as a dust cloth and thereafter said cloth may be mounted on the mop head by placing said cloth on a support surface with said back surface disposed upwardly and pressing the first fastening member on the platform against said second fastening member on said cloth to provide a dust mop and thereafter said cloth may be removed from the mop head by fixedly holding said marginal portion and pulling thE mop head therefrom.
 13. The cloth set forth in claim 12, wherein said fastening members on said back side of said cloth are oriented with the major dimensions thereof parallel.
 14. A mop head for use with an associated dust cloth as a dust mop, wherein the dust cloth is soft and pliable and has a dusting surface and a back surface with spaced apart fastening members thereon each provided with a large number of closely spaced interengageable first hooking elements, said mop head comprising a substantially flat platform having spaced apart recesses in one side thereof and a mop handle mounted on the other side thereof, fastening members each provided with a large number of closely spaced interengageable second hooking elements disposed in said recesses of said platform and detachably engageable with the fastening members on the dust cloth for detachably mounting the dust cloth on said platform, the thickness of each of the engaged fastening members being substantially equal to the depth of said recesses in said mop head to provide a substantially flat dusting surface after attachment of the cloth to said mop head, the dust cloth covering said platform and extending a short distance therebeyond around the periphery of said platform to provide a marginal portion around said platform, whereby the dust cloth may be mounted on said mop head by placing the dust cloth on a support surface with the back surface disposed upwardly and pressing said fastening members on said platform against the fastening members on the dust cloth to provide a dust mop and thereafter the dust cloth may be removed from said mop head by fixedly holding the marginal portion and pulling said mop head therefrom.
 15. The mop head as set forth in claim 14, wherein said platform is rectangular in shape and has two recesses therein extending transversely thereof at each end thereof.
 16. The mop head as set forth in claim 14, wherein each of said recesses is rectangular in shape and of substantially the same dimensions as the other of said recesses.
 17. The mop head as set forth in claim 14, wherein said fastening members disposed in said recesses cover substantially the entire area of said recesses.
 18. The mop head as set forth in claim 14, wherein said fastening members on said platform are oriented with the major dimensions thereof parallel. 